Christmas 2013 in Cameroon

In and around the home fronts...

Hand carved Cameroonian Nativity set in my apartment. Nativity scenes are my most treasured Christmas decoration - in U.S. and Cameroon.

13” tabletop Christmas  tree   (missionary yard sale bargain!)

A renewed and beneficial pastime  is jigsaw puzzles. Grateful for our Educational Resource Center supply.    (Benefits: http://www.gamesfromeverywhere.com/jigsaw-puzzles-the-benefits-for-kids-and-families/)

Caroling 2013 in Yaounde. They did 17 stops, 50+ songs, and had lots of fun. Friends and colleagues caroled around my and other compounds.

Christmas dinner at home of Cameroonian Godfrey and Nicoline Yuyar family, with Canadian Gord and Denise Erickson family. Warm welcome, wonderful fellowship and food.

I critter sat for the Bradford famiy during the holidays through mid-January. “Cammie” found interesting places to snooze. Back bottom of my closet was her favorite spot. She also seemed to enjoy under my quilt bedspread. With a fur coat in the mid-80’s I question that choice…but to each their own!

At the Educational Resource Center...

Greenhouse - A Learning Center for Missionary Children Chapel. Children open three gift-wrapped boxes representing what Jesus wants from us for His Birthday

“Legend of the Poinsettia “– with Mexican marionettes presented at Joint Learning Session (village and Yaounde based missionary children) literature enrichment Kdg.-Gr. 6 and preschool storytime.

At Rain Forest International School...

It was my privilege to share my “Joy Is A Choice” testimony at the RFIS (Gr. 7-12) Chapel on December 12. That testimony somewhat expanded is posted @ "Joy Is A Choice" . It reflects on special meaning Christmas has for me since being orphaned on Christmas morning and recommendations for dealing with loss of any kind.

The Joint Learning Session - Nativity Pageant...

Dress rehearsal – waiting with angels. A cherished part of my Christmas season was directing the pageant.	The Bible dramatization was presented at the weekly branch worship time…standing room only.	Mary and Joseph
The angel multitude speaks to shepherds.	Shepherds bow to worship baby Jesus. We make do with what we have in Africa…the manger is a podium with open side up.	Kindergarten, Grades 1-2
Part of Grades 3 and 4 singing. Other classmates sang from stage.	After following the student-carried  star, kings present gifts to baby Jesus	THANK YOU music  team!

Tropicana Neighborhood Bible Club...

Christmas story day with club hostess/French interpreter Ceci Engoro and co-teacher Barb Lane.	Dramatizing the Christmas story - the three kings approach.	Dramatizing the Christmas story. A middle school age girl walks in with baby brother. Yea!!! A live baby Jesus! Again, we make do with what we have in Africa…a large aluminum dishpan works fine as a manager…making “baby Jesus” comfy.
Dramatizing the Christmas story with a live “baby Jesus.” (My favorite Christmas 2103 pic!)	Discussing the Christmas story and its significance for us today.	Christmas story coloring page with heading in both English and French.

Both young and older children enjoy coloring.

Leaving hostess Ceci’s compound; each receiving a Christmas treat bag of popcorn, bracelet made by a U.S. children’s ministry, pencil, foam sticker & tiny toy.

November-December 2013 WattsLine Posted

Announcing:

My November-December 2013 WattsLine

is now posted under Newsletters

December 2013 Joint Learning Session

"Joint Learning Session" (JLS) is when  village or Yaounde based children home-school children join with the students of The Greenhouse - A Learning Center for Missionary Children. The December 2013 JLS was 2 weeks in length with 38 students from 23 missionary families, based in 6 villages and Yaounde, of 8 nationalities.

My primary responsibilities included:
~ Directing a Nativity Pageant presented at the Cameroon Branch weekly worship session F.R.O.G.  (Fully Rely On God) Friday 
~ Literature Enrichment with each class (K-Grade 2; Gr. 3-4; Gr. 5-6)
~ Preschool Storytime and Craft
~ Resource circulation with families and individual students

Sharing Testimony @ RFIS - "Joy Is A Choice"

On 8/15/2013, the message "RFIS chapel speakers" was posted on the "Yaounde mailing list" for the broader missionary community. (RFIS =  Rain Forest International School, grades 7-12)

Would you or someone you know be willing to share from God's Word or your testimony in an RFIS chapel?

When: Thursday mornings from 7:30-8:30 (speaker has the second 30 minutes)

Where: RFIS auditorium

Who: You or a pastor or friend who has sound biblical beliefs and lifestyle

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I've long heard the quote,  "Without a test, there can be no testimony."   

I did pass the info on to a wonderful short-term missionary who celebrated her 8Oth birthday in Cameroon. At her birthday party she was asked to talk a little about her 80 years and she shared a powerful story of God's protection, provision, and sustaining presence. She agreed to speak at RFIS...but  I strongly sensed God telling me, "That invitation is for also for YOU, KW."  

No problem, I enjoy public speaking. The question was which testimony to share...I have certainly had many tests in 60 years and have witnessed God doing the Romans 8:28 thing numerous times. I have often experienced Isaiah 55:8 - "For my thoughts are not your thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways..."  I  thank God for his grace, guidance, protection,  provision, and presence in my life. 

I asked God which of my many 'tests' might be most helpful for these students to hear and assist  them now and/or to prepare them for life. God led me to share "Joy Is A Choice" -  Even during the heartbreaking times of our lives when changing the circumstances is totally beyond our control… we can still experience joy --an inner calm,  a peace, an intense gratitude for Christ’s presence in our lives. I first told about the time I chose joy prior to being orphaned on Christmas morning 39 years ago. I also described my struggles in losing my father as a teen when joy was not my choice, not even on my radar of thoughts, but how I grew into  that deep inner peace with God’s help. I concluded with lessons learned, - 3 major keys to crash your own pity-parties and deal with various kinds of loss. 

Before going to RFIS, I heard of several students there who have experienced loss of parents less than a year ago. After sharing I had the privilege of praying with a brother and sister, and I continue praying for all of the students.

This testimony was emotionally difficult to prepare and to present, but I know that God wants to use our growth through painful experiences to encourage others through similar situations (Romans 8:28). That is my heartfelt desire and prayer. My remarks shared at RFIS, somewhat expanded, are posted @ "Joy Is A Choice" or click on the tab above. Added are extra resources/links - related songs, scriptures, articles, etc. Choosing joy is an ongoing challenge through life that pleases God and benefits many, most powerfully ourselves.

Thanksgiving 2013 in Cameroon

Thanking God for the opportunity to support Bible translation in Cameroon and for family, friends, partners who support and encourage me in my service here.

I used this scripture in both my "Thanks Living' Chapel programs and will use in Bible Club... one of my 'life scriptures' year round, through the years.

 My contribution to Thanksgiving dinner was Grandma Bertie Snowden's apple dumplings recipe that Mom also made. No electricity from mid-morning until 7:20 p.m. (caused by a fallen pole this time). Windows and doors were open...my hair was wet before I took a shower.  Applying this key scripture verse--I am extremely thankful for a gas stove year round since the electricity goes off often.

Though I've made this three generation recipe dozens of times, I felt the need to do a trial run because making several adaptations to ingredients available in Cameroon and a different oven.  (Missionaries agree that cooking here is often trial and error!) My teaching colleagues eagerly volunteered to be guinea pig taste testers, Thankful the apple dumplings turned out well both times...not exactly the same, but my new friends don't  know what was different.

My 2013 Thanksgiving dinner group...wonderful fellowship and great food. We all missed our blood relatives, but all grateful for God's big family around the world. This dinner included one German, one Canadian, and three other American family units.

So thankful for good cell phone reception...I later enjoyed talking with both sisters in the United States.

For Preschool Storytime Thanks Giving session "Show and Tell" at The Greenhouse, A Learning Center for Missionary Children...youngsters were invited to bring something for which they are thankful. Two girls carried up a younger sibling. Ruth Noren holds Esther (left) and Lina Cone holds Luca (right).

I strongly believe in THANKS LIVING; a favorite I've shared for years expressing this perspective:

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes.

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

September-October 2013 WattsLine Posted

Announcing:

My September-October 2013 WattsLine 

was posted under Newsletters.

Oku New Testament Dedication

Oku New Testament

It was the culmination of a multi-year literacy and Bible translation project for a people group who did not even have a written alphabet one generation ago. 

The journey had begun in the early 1980’s with a few seminary students’ dream. Over the years they had technical assistance from SIL and CABTAL – the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy – as well as funding from other sources. A team of Oku Christians selected by their churches helped to translate the New Testament with  in partnership with CABTAL, OneBook in Canada and Infocus in the UK.

On Saturday,  the 12th of October, it was my great privilege to be among about 1600-2000 people gathered to celebrate the completion of the NT in the mother tongue of the Oku people.. Our prayer is that the translated New Testament will change the Oku people as God’s Word penetrates their hearts.   

Arrival of the Oku New Testaments

Two directors presenting the New
Testament - Efi Tembon, CABTAL
and Bert Visser, SIL.

New Testament first held up to cheering crowds

      

Prayer dedicating the Oku New Testament 

These men and women from across denominational lines,
backed by their communities with the help of CABTAL, 
OneBook, and Infocus were able to translate the New 
Testament into their language.

Linguist  Cynthia Blood,

who had worked in the project

near the beginning, gave her

speech in the Oku language.

The crowd came from near and far - including Canada,
Northern Ireland, and United States.

In the crowd with a rejoicing heart, I am on the right, 
behind the man with camera.

World Teachers' Day 2013

World Teachers' Day 2013 was observed October 4th at The Greenhouse, A Learning Center for Missionary Children in Yaounde, Cameroon. Left to right: Naomi Emberson, Mary Santos, Barb Lane, Kay Watts, and Karen Merry.

The United Nations' (UN) World Teachers' Day celebrates the role teachers play in providing quality education at all levels. On October 5, 1994, the first World Teachers' Day was held and is a global observance.

New Role - Presenting Weekly Chapel Lesson

A new and cherished additional role I have this fall at The Greenhouse, A Learning Center for Missionary Children, is that of presenting the weekly chapel lesson after colleagues lead the children in singing. I feel like I'm back leading children's church or other children's ministry venues where I've served for decades.

I continue the tradition of using Heritage Builders' Family Night Tool Chest series by Jim Weidmann and Kurt Bruner. We start off with an activity or two that allow children to experience a concept. Student(s) read related scripture, we discuss personal applications, and sum up the day's lesson by repeating a slogan to help us remember.

Children squawked to help parrot lay an
egg; inside was the lesson slogan summary.

Boys use hand weights as we discuss how muscles must be worked
and forced to endure a lot to grow stronger / bigger

when we explored how God uses trials to help us grow. 

(1 kilo was easy, but not 2 kilo/5 pounds in one hand)

                                                     

Students read the Scripture basis of each week's lesson. I so appreciate how well our children of various ages read God's Word aloud.

A child from each class  (2 grades)  was  tempted to be
distracted from task of counting puzzle/games boxes on
the shelf by candy, money, or toy dangled in front of face.

Wow! These students remained extremely focused on
their task. We later discussed temptations that take our
eyes off God, how to resist  temptation with Scripture as Jesus did.

Cutting computer paper

14 children Grades 1-6 and I stepped through
cut computer paper (8.5" x 11.75")  when we
explored God's view of the impossible.

After students all voted on which of 5 bags they would choose, these 3 students put a hand in each
bag and guessed contents. The innards of bags did not match attractiveness of bags. 
"Choose your friends by their fruits, not their suits."